Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Accommodation suppliers urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords to not demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes soon after NSFAS received reports about some accommodation companies who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay for a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get access to the accepted private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers with the compulsory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Settlement amongst the non-public accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS reported in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the rent might be paid regular monthly to the accommodation supplier (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf with the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS conditions and terms for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not need or permit the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another types of payment for the lessor, or some other person in reference to this arrangement, like payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't nsfas login any recourse from the lessee for any default while in the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded due to an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be accountable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation service provider, up right up until the day of being here defunded."
NSFAS explained that in which the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding staying defunded by NSFAS, the scholar will be liable for payment of rent to the lessor within website the day of remaining defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent nsfas student allowances due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The here scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za